February 17 2013 Philippine Suertres/Swertres Tips and Lotto Results

Manila: The presidential palace will order further study on a plan to implement a national identification card system after a measure embodying such a scheme recently passed scrutiny at the House of Representatives.

House Bill 6895, a measure that aims to enhance the integrity of government issued identification cards through the issuance of a single unified system where vital information concerning an individual — such as social security number, drivers licence etc — can be stored. But deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the palace is concerned that provisions of the proposal is similar to that of a national ID plan which was earlier turned down by lawmakers for fear that such a move would infringe on an individual’s right to privacy.

“We’d like to see the rest of the provisions first. It may be similar to what is being proposed before the national ID system,” Valte said in an interview aired by government-run radio station dzRB.

Representative Al Francis Bichara of Albay is the main author of the measure — the “Filipino Identification Act” — which on Friday was passed for second reading by members of the House.

Bichara, a former Philippine Ambassador to Lebanon and a third generation Filipino-Lebanese, said a unified ID would be honoured by various government agencies and would streamline red tape. Likewise, having a single card for identification will make it easier for people carry.